He was born in 1924 in Horning, Pennsylvania and died in Deer Isle, Maine in 1999. When he was a child his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art. His graduation was delayed by service in WWII, for which he was awarded two presidential citations, two Croix de Guerre, one combat star and an honorable discharge in 1945. After obtaining his BFA from the Cleveland Institute in 1949, he attended Kent State University (BS Ed), and Case Western Reserve University (MA). In 1969, he was hired by Deerfield Academy Head of School David Pynchon (1968-1980) for the specific goal of creating an Arts Department. He served as the Chair of the Art Department from 1970-1980, the Director of the Hilson Gallery until 1986, and held the John J. Louis Chair in the Humanities from 19751980.